


Acceptance

by Jcapasso916



Series: Acceptance [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-26
Updated: 2015-11-26
Packaged: 2018-05-03 13:20:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5292365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jcapasso916/pseuds/Jcapasso916
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set at the end of Tall Tales. In which Sam is the one to confront the trickster in the auditorium instead of Dean. Eventual Sabriel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Acceptance

**Author's Note:**

> Running out of ideas so not sure how good this one is but I can't stop writing anyway. I am taking requests though if anyone has any ideas. This is the kid friendly version. If you want the full smut read the extended version.

Sam walked into the auditorium to confront the little janitor that had turned out to be exactly what they were hunting all along. He stopped short as he saw a pile of boxes blocking most of the aisle with Supernatural Encyclopedia painted in large red letters on the side. “What is this?” he asked aloud though he could see no one else in the room. 

“The complete encyclopedia of everything supernatural, current and extinct. Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask,” the trickster said with a flourish. “Consider it a peace offering.”

“Why?” Sam asked incredulously. 

“I know what you and your brother do. I’ve been around a while. Run into your kind before.” 

“Then you know we can’t just let you keep hurting people.”

“Oh come on. Those people got what was coming to them. Hoisted on their own petards!” he explained wildly. He really didn’t expect the hunter to listen. He was Lucifer’s vessel after all. Lucifer had never been reasonable and his vessel would surely be much the same. He cursed again that the other one hadn’t come in here. As stubborn as Michael could be, he would at least listen to reason, most of the time. He was therefore rather shocked, not that he would ever show it, when Sam spoke again.

“And what did they do to deserve death huh?” he asked sarcastically. 

He furrowed his brow and tilted his head trying to decipher if the hunter actually wanted an answer or if he was just being snarky. He saw a genuine curiosity hidden behind the surface so he decided to give the kid an answer. “Mr Morality the rapist and child molester or Mr animal tester the serial torturer and killer?” the trickster responded with just as much snark and smirked internally when the hunter’s face blanched. 

“Am I supposed to believe that? We found nothing like that about either of them,” Sam said skeptically. 

“Then you didn’t look hard enough. I can see into their minds kid. I can see their souls. I know who can be redeemed and who can’t,” he said narrowing his eyes at Sam, wondering if he’d actually accept the explanation.

“Then the kid with the aliens…” Sam trailed off in question.

The trickster threw back his head and laughed. “One of my personal favorites.” He sobered slightly, but kept a smirk on his face, “Kid was headed down a dark path, but still a spark of redemption so I figured I’d let him see what was on the other side. See if we could grow that spark a bit.” He could see Sam thinking so he added, “See! What I do isn’t so different from what you do. You kill evil. I kill evil. I just do it with a little more flair.”

“But you kill humans,” Sam said strongly. 

“Kid the people I kill don’t have any human left in them.”

“And you’re qualified to judge that?” Sam asked argumentatively. 

The trickster sighed heavily. “Do you know where demons come from?” When Sam shook his head the trickster told him, “Demons were once human souls that were sent to hell where they were broken and mutilated until they were black and dark. All the light was gone from their souls. The people I kill…they don’t have any light left in their souls. The only thing separating them from demons are their lack of power and obviously living bodies. Believe me. I’m doing the world a favor.”

Sam didn’t know if he believed the trickster or not, but before he could say anything more a thought dawned on him. “Why did you let us find you?”

The trickster laughed again. “Smarter than you look huh Sasquatch. Answers simple. I’m the one who tracked you boys down and put myself in your path.”

“Why?” Sam asked curiously. 

“Because I know what the demons are planning for you, and I don’t like it. I happen to like this world see, and their plans for the apocalypse would put a real spanner in the works.” When Sam just looked at him confused he sighed and said, “Long story short. Demons are planning to use you to start the apocalypse. When they make their move I wanted you to have someone to call on for help, preferably before they twist you all up in knots.”

Sam scoffed, “And you really thought we would buy your crap and just let you walk out of here?”

The trickster smirked at the hunter. “You thought you had a choice? Just pray for Loki if you need me,” he said as he disappeared with a snap of his fingers. 

When Sam said ‘let you walk out of here’ that was the signal for Dean and Bobby to come in stakes at the ready, but they appeared just in time to see the trickster disappear. “Son of a bitch,” Dean exclaimed. 

Once they were sure he was really gone Sam turned to eye the boxes warily. “Come on Sammy. You can’t trust anything he left. They are probably gonna explode or something if you get too close.”

“If he was going to kill you idgits he would have,” Bobby said also hoping that they were the real thing. “I wouldn’t rule out a trick though.”

Sam tentatively walked over and popped the top on one of the boxed jumping back as far as he could just in case. When nothing happened he crept closer and peeked inside. “They’re really books,” he announced. 

“Well who knows if they even tell the truth,” Dean said grudgingly. 

“Well we can fact check as much as we can to make sure. If he was telling the truth this is the mother lode,” Bobby said hopefully. “Everybody grab a box. Let’s get out of here.”

 

Over the next few months between cases, Sam and Bobby fact-checked everything they could in the encyclopedia’s and were surprised to find how accurate they were. They not only talked about how to kill everything, half of which they never knew existed, they also listed their strengths and weaknesses, history, how they came to be, and more. Once Sam realized that they were legit he immediately found the volume for L and looked up Loki. He should have known that was too easy. Under Loki’s name was just a picture of his smirking face with the words ‘haha nice try buckos’ written beneath it. Sam just huffed and put it away. 

While Sam and Bobby had been looking through the trickster god’s parting gift, Dean had been doing more research on the people Loki had killed and trying to pinpoint where Loki was now. He had found a few more likely spots that he had been, but was nowhere near isolating a pattern. He did find that there were numerous accusations of rape against the college professor that came up now that they were no longer afraid of him, some of them frightfully young. There had also been a serial killer at large in a nearby town that hadn’t struck since the researcher died. He found similar stories of the other people that had been killed in Loki’s wake. After that his search was half-hearted at best. Sure he had always been taught that if it’s not human it’s unnatural and needs to die, but in this case…well. He began to question his father’s words. Dad had made him promise to either save Sam or kill him, but Dean knew there was only one option there. There was no way he would kill his brother. No matter what happened and if this little being was willing to help save him, he would be a fool to turn it down. That didn’t mean he was fool enough to turn his back on a trickster, but at least they had an ace in the hole if it was needed. 

When he relayed these thoughts to Sam and Bobby, along with what his research turned up, he was relieved to find that they agreed. They would use Loki as their get out of jail free card, if and only if, it was absolutely necessary. 

 

When he was abducted to the ghost town, Sam managed to keep himself together. Rounded up all the people and get a message to Dean. It wasn’t until the yellow-eyed-demon appeared in his dream that he really started to get nervous. He figured if he was ever going to call on Loki to help it should be now. When Jake shook him awake to tell him Ava was missing, Sam just told him, “Don’t worry. I have a plan.” He paused a moment to plan what he was going to say. “Loki…um…not really sure if I’m doing this right but I could kinda use some help here.”

“What the hell man?” Jake asked obviously thinking the hunter had gone nuts. At least he did until he heard an unfamiliar voice.

“You rang Samsquatch?” Loki asked appearing leaning casually against the wall one foot flat behind him about knee high and his arms crossed loosely in front of his chest. He twirled a lollipop in his mouth as he surveyed the scene. 

“Yeah. The yellow eyed demon trapped us all here for some kind of death match, winner to be the head of his new demon army apparently,” Sam summarized before adding, “And now one of us is missing.”

“Hmm,” Loki said thoughtfully and then snapped his fingers making Ava appear next to him. “This your missing girl?” he asked looking at her scrutinizing. 

“That’s her,” Sam said relieved. 

“Huh,” Loki said snapping his fingers again as she disappeared. 

“What are doing?!” Sam asked alarmed.

“Relax kiddo. She’s just on ice for a while. She’s apparently been doing quite a bit of killing lately. Her soul is all tarnished and dirty.”

“That’s impossible. She wouldn’t…” Sam started.

“You of all people should know what a person can be pushed to in the right circumstaces Sambo.”

“But…” Sam visibly deflated. He had noticed something off about the girl, but he had chalked it up to fear. “She’s ok though right?”

“Physically yes. Her soul might recover, it might not. Who knows,” Loki said nonchalantly.

“Will you fix her?” Sam asked hopefully. 

“Can’t heal a soul Samsquatch. Only she can. She’s not as far gone as the ones I usually interfere with, but for you buttercup? I’ll show her the error of her ways. Then it’s up to her.”

Sam wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not but they did have other fish to fry. It seemed that conversation had given Jake and Andy some time to collect their wits. “Who the hell are you?” Jake asked.

“Loki, Norse God of Mischief, at your service,” he said with a mocking bow.

“Man this is nuts,” Andy said nervously.

There was suddenly another player in the game. “You really shouldn’t be interfering…Loki is it?” 

“Azazel. Why am I not surprised? Still playing Lilith’s little errand boy?” Loki said casually seemingly unconcerned about the presence of a demon. 

Sam ushered Jake and Andy out of the way. If this was going to come down to a fight he wanted them all out of the line of fire. 

“You have a great deal of information for a pagan,” Azazel said suspiciously. 

“I deal in secrets and illusion. Nothing is hidden from me if I want to know it,” Loki said smugly. 

“Well you are out of your league here little pagan, so be a good little god and scram,” Azazel said warningly. 

“Oh you don’t even know what league I’m in little demon,” Loki said amused as he snapped his fingers and the demon disappeared. 

“Where did you send him?” Sam asked. 

“Tell ya later Sam-a-lam,” he said with a wink. What say we get you kids out of here huh?” he said snapping his fingers again and Jake and Andy were returned to where they were taken from while Sam was taken straight to Dean. “One lost brother returned,” he said in a very self-satisfied voice as Dean and Bobby just gaped at him. Luckily they were stopped for gas and not actually driving down the road at the time. “Keep better track of him next time would ya?” 

Before Sam could even protest Loki was gone. It wasn’t until later, after he filled Dean and Bobby in on everything that had happened, that he realized that Loki hadn’t told him where he sent the yellow-eyed-demon.

Sam was unsurprised to get a phone call from Andy, and after assuring him that it was all real, that he was safe now, yes that really was Loki, and he might come if you pray but don’t count on it, he hung up the phone amused. 

They hadn’t been far from Bobby’s when he joined them so they headed back, and by the end of the day, Sam was just about fed up with Dean’s hovering. He had apparently taken the trickster’s suggestion to ‘keep better track of him’ to heart. Hell Sam had to snap at his brother just to be able to use the bathroom in peace and Dean still knocked on the door every minute asking if he was still there. 

After they had gone to bed Sam couldn’t really sleep. He had way too much on his mind so he decided to go downstairs to have a beer. Dean, of course, woke up and asked where he was going to which Sam testily replied, “I’m going downstairs for a beer Dean and I don’t need any company. I would like a few damn minutes to myself to wrap my head around things. Go back to sleep.”

“You don’t have to be such a bitch about it,” Dean slurred as he laid back down.

Sam sighed and went downstairs. No sooner than he had grabbed a beer and sat down at the table he found himself with company after all though as Loki appeared leaning back in his chair with his feet on the table still twirling a lollipop in his mouth. Sam saw the perfect opportunity to get back at the little being for his comment earlier and quickly kicked out a leg to make the chair fall backwards. 

Loki lay on the floor with a shocked look for a second before he broke out in a proud grin, “Why Sammich. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Can’t you ever call me by my actual name?” Sam said annoyed that he apparently wasn’t getting any time to himself after all. 

“Meh. Names are boring,” Loki said shrugging. “So did you want to know where I sent old yellow eyes or what?” he asked smirking. Sam honestly wasn’t sure whether he wanted to know or not, but nodded slowly any way. Loki’s amber eyes sparkled with mischief and he said, “Drumroll please…the void.”

“The what?” Sam asked.

“Vast empty space so far from here you humans don’t have enough numbers to count the light years.”

“How long will it take him to get back?” Sam asked. 

“Well given how far demons of his level can travel in each jump, about…oh 20 trillion years.” Loki’s smirk intensified as he added, “But that’s only if he knows where earth is in relation to him, which he has no way of figuring out.”

Sam broke out in helpless laughter and Loki preened. It wasn’t until he managed to get himself under control that it dawned on him that this was the demon that killed their mother. The demon they had spent their whole life hunting, and he asked Loki, “You couldn’t just kill him?”

“Killing demons is beyond me, but banishing them to the far reaches of space and time? Right up my alley,” Loki lied easily. Of course he could have killed the demon with relatively little trouble if he had used his archangel powers, but that had the double trouble of giving the hunters a clue that he was more than he seemed, and possibly even cluing in the dickwads upstairs that there was an archangel roaming the earth. No need to be sloppy when the problem was so easily taken care of another way. 

Sam smiled at Loki. “Well thank you. I don’t think I said that yet.”

Loki just waved him off, “Didn’t do it for you sunshine.” 

Sam rolled his eyes and said, “So it’s over now?”

“Not exactly kiddo. There will be others to take his place.”

“You never did say what their plan was exactly, beyond starting the apocalypse that is,” Sam pointed out. He figured if he knew more about it then it would be easier to avoid.

“Cause I don’t know exactly. It’s not like I hang around their meeting rooms while they discuss their evil plans,” Loki rolled his eyes.

“But what do you know?” Sam asked.

Loki thought for a moment. There was no way they were going to believe about the existence of angels so obviously he couldn’t tell the little Winchester everything, but what could he tell him without drawing suspicion. “Just that they are going to try to manipulate you into breaking the last seal to start the apocalypse and they are probably going to use your brother as leverage somehow,” Loki shrugged.

“I wouldn’t start the apocalypse even for Dean. They must know that.” Sam protested. 

“It’s not like they are going to give you all the information to make an informed decision moron. It’s called manipulation for a reason.”

“Do you know what the seal is? How would I break it? If I know then I’ll know what not to do,” Sam asked hopefully.

“It’s the death of the first demon at a particular time and place. I know the demon’s name is Lilith. I’m not sure of the time or the exact place but it will be on holy ground somewhere.” He had been out of touch with heavenly matters for a long time so it was understandable that he didn’t know everything.

“Ok so no killing any demons on any holy ground just to be safe,” Sam said.

“You can have Dean do it if the need arises. He can’t break that particular seal. Only you can,” Loki explained.

“Why me?” 

“It’s your destiny. Your birthright. Solidified by the demon blood in your veins.”

Sam gasped. “How did you know about that? I didn’t even tell Dean about that.”

“I can see your soul kiddo. I can see its taint,” Loki said realizing his mistake when Sam looked away from him and hurried to add, “I can see the brightness of your soul protecting itself from it.”

“So I’m not…you know…tainted,” Sam asked in a small voice.

“Nah kid. It would take a hell of a lot more demon blood than that to taint a soul as pure as yours,” Loki said with a rare genuine smile.

Sam beamed at Loki relieved that the experience hadn’t ruined him. He didn’t even realize how much that thought had bothered him until Loki had set his mind at ease. It was as if the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders and with that gone the weight of exhaustion finally hit him as he yawned widely.

Loki chuckled. “Go to bed Sambo. You need your beauty sleep after all.”

The next morning Sam knew he would have to tell Dean what happened to the yellow-eyed-demon. He wasn’t really surprised when Dean laughed. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I like his style.” Sam could tell the exact moment that the magnitude of the situation dawned on his brother just by the look on his face and the fact that Dean dropped his beer and reached for the whiskey. Sam knew better than to ask if Dean wanted to talk about it. 

 

Over the next few months Loki dropped by every so often to hang out with Sam, and sometimes Dean. He wasn’t really sure what it was about the younger hunter, but he found him highly amusing. He supposed Sam’s understated sense of humor was often overshadowed by his brother’s loud flashy humor. Dean’s humor was more like his own, but he appreciated Sam’s mostly because it was different. He spent all his time with his own sense of humor after all. 

It was a few months later that Loki received a panicked prayer from Sam and he flashed himself to the hunter’s side. It wouldn’t hurt the guy he had been ‘teaching’ to hang there a little longer after all. When he arrived in the abandoned warehouse to find a demon forcing her blood down Sam’s throat he saw red. There was no amused fingersnap to throw the demon into the far reaches of space, no tricks or games, no witty quips. He wanted to tear this bitch apart piece by piece. His archangel blade appeared in his hand and it felt strange there; it had been so long since he held it. First he cut off the arm that was feeding the hunter which drew the attention of the other demons in the room. He slashed his way through them like a man possessed as Sam fell to the ground and Dean crawled over to him. 

Once all the demons were dispatched he walked back over to the hunters and knelt in front of Sam and said, “Sorry kid. Just bear with me on this ok?” as he plastered his lips over the hunters and used his tongue to force Sam’s mouth open so that he could suck out the taint of the demon blood. There were other ways to do it, but they would take longer…maybe even long enough to cause damage to Sam’s soul, not to mention be exceedingly painful for the hunter so this really was the best option. Dean just watched on shocked as the pagan god kissed his brother. 

Sam hadn’t even gotten his bearings enough to realize what was going on after his initial shock by the time that Loki pulled away about twenty seconds later. “Blech, demon” Loki said coughing up some small clouds of black soot. Once he was done coughing he reached out a hand and healed the most serious injuries on both brothers, making sure he used his limited abilities as Loki instead of his more all-encompassing archangel healing. 

He laughed at the fact that both hunters were beet red and would never admit to anyone that he had kept his lips on Sam’s a few seconds longer than he needed to. “Dude you just kissed my brother!” Dean blurted out, making Sam get an even deeper shade of red that Loki hadn’t thought was possible. 

“I had to get the taint of the demon blood out of him,” Loki said with an amused shrug. 

“Was that really the only way?” Sam croaked out.

“The only safe way,” Loki said before winking at that hunter. “You can’t tell me that wasn’t life-changing,” he said with a smirk. Sam sputtered for a few moments unable to form words and definitely unwilling to admit that maybe the god was just a little bit right. Loki laughed and said, “Come on. Let’s get you two out of here before you muttonheads manage to get into any more trouble.” He snapped his fingers and they appeared next to the impala outside their hotel room. 

“How do you always know where we are anyway?” Dean asked just now realizing that Loki always found him even when no one prayed. 

“Well when you pray I can follow your prayers. The rest of the time I find you by the tracker I put on your car,” he said laughing as he disappeared knowing that Dean would be left yelling at nothing. 

Once Dean realized that Loki had left and wasn’t hearing the profanities he was spewing he turned to Sam and said, “Come on. I’ll even let you have first shower. Between the blood and getting kissed by a guy you need it,” he said with a chuckle. 

Sam just shot him one of his infamous bitch faces and hurried for the shower before Dean changed his mind. Most of his mind was occupied with worry about all the demon blood that he was forced to drink and whether Loki got it all or if it did any damage before he did, but there was part of his mind that just kept replaying that kiss. He touched his lips gingerly trying to remember the feeling. Once he was finished with his shower, Dean went in and Sam slipped outside, not wanting his brother to overhear this conversation, and called for Loki, pushing the memory of the kiss out of his mind and focusing on the questions he had about the demon blood. Once Loki appeared in his trademark position leaning casually against the wall he asked, “Why did she make me drink demon blood?”

“Sorry kiddo, I should have thought of that and warned you. It makes sense that now that Azazel is out of the way they need to tie you to a new demon.”

“Did it…am I…” Sam couldn’t get the words out.

“I took care of it before any damage was done. Your soul is still intact and pure,” Loki said knowing what the hunter was concerned about.

“What about what was there before?” Sam asked feeling better now, but still unable to look at the god. 

“That has taken root too deeply. Nothing I can do about that part Sambo.”

“Well, thank you.”

Loki raised his eyebrow noticing that the hunter hadn’t looked at him once since he arrived. “What’s on your mind Samsquatch?” When Sam didn’t say anything Loki said, “Don’t make me dig around in there for an answer.”

“You kissed me,” Sam blurted out desperate to keep Loki from seeing into his mind. 

Loki rolled his eyes. He knew that Sam knew that it was necessary, but he tended to forget how easily embarrassed humans could be. “I know it was a horrible ordeal for you and all…”

“No!” Sam said hearing the hurt in Loki’s voice though he tried to cover it up well. Then he realized what he said and started to stammer, “I mean…I didn’t…it was…”

Loki just raised an eyebrow suspicious of what the hunter actually meant so decided to test his theory. He pushed of slowly from the wall and started walking toward the hunter looking between his eyes and his mouth knowing that Sam would realize what he was up to. Loki could hear Sam’s heart rate speed up but he didn’t step back or make any moves to push Loki away. Loki got right up in the hunter’s personal space and reached a hand up to the back of Sam’s neck to pull his head down. He only applied a little pressure giving Sam every opportunity to pull away, but he didn’t. 

Sam watched Loki come closer and he knew that he had been found out. Loki wasn’t leaving though. He should move away or something. He just knew Loki was going to make fun of him later for this, but he couldn’t bring himself to move. He wanted to feel the god’s lips on his again. When Loki’s hand came up to pull his head down he knew this was his last chance to avoid the ridicule that would surely come later, but he didn’t care. He let Loki pull his head down and when the god’s lips touched his he couldn’t stop the small contented sound that escaped. 

When Sam let him kiss him Loki couldn’t help but smile into the kiss. There was no denying that Sam was beautiful, and he did like beautiful things. He ran his tongue along Sam’s lower lip, hoping he wasn’t pushing his luck, but Sam opened obediently and the hunter’s arms went around the smaller man’s waist pulling him flush against the muscular body. This time it was Loki’s turn to make a contented sound. He knew the taller man was just satisfying his curiosity, but Loki would take what he could get. 

He broke apart when he sensed that Sam needed air and the hunter rested his forehead against Loki’s as he breathed heavily, large hands still on Loki’s waist. Loki smiled and asked him, “Satisfied your curiosity?”

Sam stepped back realizing that the kiss had meant nothing to the being in front of him, but relieved that he wasn’t being made fun of at least. “Yeah,” Sam said breathlessly. “Yeah I’m good.”

“Good, now stop acting so weird around me for crying out loud,” he said with a chuckle. He heard Dean finish his shower and looked worriedly towards the door. “Catch you later kid,” Loki said with a wink as he disappeared.

 

It seemed like every few months there was a new demon who, along with minions, captured the Winchester’s and forced blood down Sam’s throat. Sam was forced to tell Dean the whole story about the demon blood and Dean was understandably pissed, both at Sam for keeping it from him and the demons for doing that to his little brother in the first place, but he didn’t think any less of Sam for it, which is what the younger hunter had been afraid of. 

After that first night, when Loki pulled the demonic taint from Sam, this time they were both really kissing each other while he was doing so. Sam lived for those moments, not that he would ever touch demon blood if it weren’t being forced down his throat, but at least when it was he was made to feel better about it by the attention from the god. And if both of them held on a little longer than necessary, at least until Loki’s coughing fit started…well there was no reason to admit that. 

Other than those interludes things went on as normal. Sam had managed to squash his awkwardness around Loki, contenting himself with the friendship they had rather than wasting his time wanting more, Loki doing the same, and they were back to the easy friendship they enjoyed prior to that incident. Their semblance of normal took a turn though as they heard a crash from outside their motel room and went tearing out the door to find Loki nearly unconscious on the now dented hood of the impala. Dean just stood there mouth open for a moment until Loki said, “I’ll fix it,” he coughed up some blood curling up in pain, “as soon as I can,” he croaked out. Sam ran over and scooped Loki up in his arms to carry him inside. “Careful Samsquatch,” he gasped as Sam jolted his broken ribs, “I’m precious cargo,” he managed to joke. 

“You’re heavy cargo is what you are,” Sam muttered under his breath knowing that Loki would hear him, masking his worry with jokes. He didn’t know what could hurt a god this badly but whatever it was couldn’t be good. 

Sam pulled off Loki’s jacket easily, but rather than wrestle his t-shirt over his ribs he cut it open to get a better look at the damage. “Trying…to get me…out of my…clothes…Sammy? Sorry kiddo…not up to that…right now.” Loki managed to joke with him. 

This time Sam didn’t joke back as he gasped upon seeing the damage. “Jesus Loki. What happened to you?”

“You should…see the other guy.” He hissed in pain as Sam’s wandering hands found one of his broken ribs.

“Sorry. I’m just trying to see where the damage is so I know how to fix it. You’re coughing up blood which means you probably have a punctured lung,” Sam explained having no idea how he would fix it if it was, but needing to do something. 

“Took care…of that…already. Used the last…of my powers…to fix the…life-threatening…stuff,”

“You’re sure?” Sam asked nervously. When Loki just nodded apparently unable to form any more words, Sam turned his attentions to all the blood. He turned in time for Dean to hand him a wet washrag and a bowl of water. They had done this so many times that it was second nature though it was usually each other they were patching up. Sam set to work gently cleaning the blood off trying to tune out Loki’s hisses of pain when he got too close to one of the open wounds or the broken ribs. Once he was all clean Sam could see what looked like a series of scratches all over the front of his body. It looked like only one was deep enough to need stitches though. “Ok I’m not sure if you’ve ever had stitches before but this is gonna hurt quite a bit,” Sam said apologetically. 

“Just get on with it kid,” Loki said through clenched teeth.

Sam stitched up the wound and put a clean bandage on it then said, “Ok we’re gonna need to sit you up so we can wrap your ribs and then you can rest.” Loki was barely conscious by that point and so wasn’t much help during the process. They got him wrapped and left him to rest. 

Sam dropped into the chair, put his elbows on the table and dropped his head into his hands as Dean dropped onto his own bed with a heavy sigh before saying, “What the hell could do that to a god?”

“I don’t know Dean, but whatever it is can’t be good. I just hope it isn’t still looking for him,” Sam said tiredly. 

Dean noticed the state his brother was in and offered, “Here you take the bed. I fit better on the couch anyway.”

Sam looked gratefully at his brother as he got up and Sam collapsed in the bed. 

The next morning Sam was woken by sleepy groans and the events of the previous night flooded back to him. He rushed over to Loki’s bed in time to stop the sleepy god from sitting up as he woke. He didn’t want him jarring his broken ribs. Loki grimaced and looked up at Sam. “I’m starting to have a lot more respect for the beatings you two take.”

Sam gave a humorless chuckle before asking Loki, “What happened?” He glanced over and saw that Dean had woken up too and looked just as curious.

Loki sighed and at first just said. “Help me sit up? My back is killing me.” He knew that he was going to have to tell the hunters his biggest secret. Whether they believed him or not his wings needed medical attention and he couldn’t do it himself so either they did or he would have to find another angel which was essentially suicide, but he could answer their questions first. “Well the apocalypse is off for good this time. Lilith is dead. Without her the seals can’t be broken.”

“What the hell happened?” Dean asked again. 

“They figured out that you guys had some seriously powerful help and set a trap for me. I probably could have escaped but once they found out my secret I couldn’t leave them alive.”

“What secret could possibly be so important that you would practically kill yourself to protect?” Sam asked incredulously not actually expecting the god to tell them. 

“I will tell you two only because I need your help. I’m not actually a pagan god. I was something else once, until I ran away and took on the role of a pagan god thousands of years ago,” Loki paused. 

“What are you then?” Dean asked impatiently wondering what could be powerful enough to successfully pose as a god.

“I’m only telling you because my wings are damaged and I need your help.” Both hunters gasped, Sam in awe and Dean in disbelief. “I’m an archangel,” Loki said bowing his head and waiting for the denials.

“There’s no such thing,” scoffed Dean.

Sam though put a comforting hand on the god’s…no the archangel’s shoulder, “Let’s see the damage and see what we can do.”

Loki gave him a nervous smile and manifested all six of his wings on the physical plane and whether they believed he was an archangel or not, he definitely had wings and they were definitely damaged. Loki gave a pained whimper as reached out and tentatively touched one. “Sorry,” he said drawing his hand back.

“S’okay Samsquatch. An angel’s wings are the most sensitive part of their being and for them to be hurt…well its agony, but you’re going to have to touch them to fix them anyway.”

“What can we use to clean them? We need to get the blood out of the way to see what we are working with,” Sam asked.

“I doubt you have any soap gentle enough so lukewarm water will work, not cold and not hot. Wings are very sensitive to temperature.”

“I’ll get it,” Dean said snapping out of his shock. He didn’t really believe in angels. At least he hadn’t but as much as the wings themselves could a trick, the pain definitely wasn’t. Dean didn’t know what to believe and fussed about getting the water the right temperature. “Is that good?” he asked holding the bowl out to Loki who placed a finger in it before pronouncing it fine. 

Sam took the washcloth and began gently patting the blood from the wings, gingerly moving the golden feathers out of the way so that he could get underneath them and see the damage. “So what’s your real name?” Sam asked trying to get the angel’s mind off what he was doing. 

“Gabriel,” he said softly before he whimpered again as Sam found the wound. 

“It’s okay Gabriel. It looks like it’s just a scratch like on your chest. This one isn’t very deep. Would it need to be stitched up anyway?” Sam asked not really knowing much about wing care obviously.

“Only if it goes all the way through. Otherwise they will heal on their own as long as they are kept clean,” Gabriel said after getting over the momentary jolt at hearing his real name spoken aloud again after so long. 

“Ok that one’s done. I’m going to get them all cleaned up so we can see what we’re working with and get the easy stuff out of the way before I try to set the broken bones,” Sam said soothingly. 

“Not looking forward to that part,” Gabriel said with a humorless laugh.

“I know. I’m sorry,” Sam said. 

“Not your fault Sammich,” Gabriel said closing his eyes against the pain. 

“This was because you were helping me,” Sam said pointing out that it was his fault.

“Which was my choice,” Gabriel said firmly. “I knew going in that this was going to be a nightmare. Changing destiny is no easy task. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be actually. I didn’t think I would survive it actually. Of course I still might not.”

“Then why…” Sam trailed off.

“Because it needed to be done. I couldn’t watch my brothers destroy the world. I couldn’t watch them fight any more. I couldn’t watch one of them die at the hand of the other. Their fighting nearly destroyed heaven so I ran away. I couldn’t let them destroy this place too.”

“And of course you’re going to survive. You’re not hurt so badly that you can’t heal,” Dean said.

“I don’t mean that. I’ll heal from this fight. But if my brothers find out that I derailed their little prize fight there won’t be a safe place in the universe to hide. I killed all the demons that could have identified me so I can only hope they stay in the dark, but I’m not counting on it.”

Sam reached a hand up to Gabriel’s shoulder. “They’ll have to go through us first.”

Gabriel laughed. “They will turn you two idiots into finger paints, but thanks for the sentiment. The best thing we can do is hide you from them which I will do as soon as I have enough mojo back.”

Gabriel hissed again as Sam hit one of the scratches. They had done a pretty good job of distracting him at least. “Sorry Gabe. Looks like this one goes all the way through. I’m gonna have to stitch it up,” Sam said apologetically. 

“No worries Sambo. I figured at least one was that bad. The wing under it might be too. I can’t really tell for sure.”

“Anything in particular I should know that might make wings different from a regular wound?”

“They are thinner so stitch farther from the edge and not quite so tight so it doesn’t tear the membrane.”

“Okay. Hold still Gabe. This is gonna hurt.”

After the initial whimper Gabriel said breathing hard, “Gabe is it? You can’t use my real name?” 

Sam chuckled recognizing his words from that first night they talked after Cold Oak. “Meh, names are boring.”

That brought an actual chuckle out of Gabriel. “Very wise words Samsquatch.”

“All done with that one,” Sam said satisfied. 

“I’ll go warm the water back up,” Dean said grabbing the bowl and heading to the bathroom. He felt a little useless. He didn’t dare mess with Gabriel’s wings. He knew he was much more heavy-handed than Sam. He just didn’t know how to be gentle like his little brother did, and he needed a moment to think about what he was seeing in there anyway. He knew his little brother. Knew him like the back of his hand. His brother was smitten over the archangel. Looking back Dean realized that he had been for a while, but Dean had missed it until it was thrown in his face just now. He wondered if there was anything going on, but he dismissed that thought. Sam would have told him something that important he was sure of it so he turned his mind to wondering if those feelings were returned. He couldn’t read Gabriel like he could Sam though. 

He brought the warmed water back to the duo on the bed finding Sam straightening the feathers that he had displaced during his cleaning on the finished wings. After Gabriel checked the water again pronouncing it fine Sam started on the last wing. “It’s almost cut through here but not quite,” he told the archangel. 

“Good,” Gabriel said relieved. “I guess it’s on to the hard part then.” When Dean handed Sam the stuff to make splints Gabriel shook his head. “Don’t need those. Once the bones are back in place I’ll tuck my wings away so nothing will disturb them and they can heal. If you put those on they will be stuck on this plane and get caught on everything.”

“Then how did they get hurt in the first place?” Sam asked curiously. 

“Lilith is the most powerful demon. She can access the plane that my wings exist on. I only brought them into this plane so that you can help me with them,” Gabriel explained.

“So as long as we keep you away from supped up demons you’ll be good?” Dean asked.

“Yup, and I don’t plan on picking any fights anytime soon.”

Dean snorted. “I think that’s the smartest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

Sam rolled his eyes before focusing back on his task. “Ok Dean come help me with this. I’ll get the right you get the left. This way he can put his wings back away immediately. Sound good?” 

At the nod from both of them Dean moved to the wing on Gabriel’s left and felt along gently until he found the break while Sam did the same on the other side. “Ok on three. 1…2…3” They snapped the bones back into place and Gabriel shrieked and his wings disappeared as he slumped forward.

Sam wrapped his arm around Gabriel’s chest to keep him from falling making sure to keep his arm far enough above the damaged ribs that he wouldn’t cause any more pain. He pulled Gabriel’s back to his chest and reached his other hand up to stroke Gabriel’s hair in a calming gesture. “All done,” he said soothingly. 

“Thanks Sammy. Need to rest now,” he said breathlessly. 

“You gonna be ok laying on your back?” Sam asked. 

“I will be now.”

Sam laid him on his back as the archangel closed his eyes and went back to sleep. 

Dean pulled Sam to the side. He couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Archangels Sammy? You really believe that?”

“It fits with all the lore Dean, and I don’t just mean the books he gave us. Archangels have six wings and the archangel Gabriel’s are said to be gold.”

“Angels don’t exist Sammy. Don’t you think we would have heard of them by now if they did?”

“Well they probably just don’t interact with humans much if at all. That would be why we haven’t heard of them. There is more lore about angels than anything else we’ve ever hunted combined. You have to at least consider the possibility. Unless you think all that was just a trick?” Sam seemed to be daring his brother to even think that.

“No. No that was real pain in real wings but Jesus Sammy. Angels?”

“I know. It’s thrown me for a loop too,” Sam said understandingly. 

“I’m going for breakfast. I need to clear my head.”

“Grab some doughnuts for Gabriel when he wakes up?” Sam asked. 

Dean just nodded and left. 

 

It was nearly dinnertime when Gabriel woke up again. Dean knew he had to have a conversation with the archangel about his brother. He hated these kinds of talks but now that he knew what was going on, he wasn’t going to let Sammy get hurt. After Sam helped Gabriel sit up leaning against the headboard Dean sent him out for dinner, reminding Sam that he had gone for breakfast and they were out of the pizza they ordered for lunch. Sam grudgingly left with instructions to call if he was needed. 

“He sure does hover when someone’s hurt doesn’t he,” Gabriel asked amusedly. 

Dean was grateful for the opener to the conversation. “I think that’s just you.”

“What do you mean?” Gabriel asked with furrowing his brows in confusion.

“You have to know how he feels about you. You can read minds for crying out loud,” Dean said frustrated.

“I can read minds Deano but I don’t make a habit of it. Especially with my friends,” Gabriel started getting frustrated too. He was confused and felt like he was being accused of something which was not a pleasant combination.

“So you have no idea that he’s in love with you?” Dean asked disbelievingly. 

“Huh?” Gabriel said inelegantly.

Dean took in the gob smacked look on the archangel’s face and came to a conclusion. “You really didn’t know.”

“Are you sure?” Gabriel snapped out of his thoughts to ask. 

“I know my brother Gabriel. Yes I’m sure.”

Gabriel rested his head back against the headboard with a goofy smile on his face. Had he really been misreading the situation all this time? He knew that he loved Sam, but when the hunter never said or did anything else after the one ‘real’ kiss they shared he decided that the hunter just wasn’t interested and let it go. Why wouldn’t he if he loved him back. Gabriel had made it clear that he was interested…or had he. Gabriel frowned, replaying that night in his head. Looking back he could see where what he said may have been misinterpreted by the hunter, but really. You don’t kiss someone like that without feeling something. 

Dean watched the emotions flit across Gabriel’s face and realized that maybe Sam’s feelings for the archangel were returned. Gabriel looked back at Dean. “I’ll talk to him in a few days once I’m back to health.”

“A few days?” Dean asked skeptically. No way would those kind of injuries heal in a few days.

“Once I recharge my batteries enough I’ll be able to heal myself,” Gabriel said shrugging the shoulder on his good side. 

“Ok just give me a heads up or something. I don’t wanna be here for that,” Dean said with a grimace. 

“Ok, but when I tell you to go get something to eat, take your time,” Gabriel said with a smirk. 

Dean knew that smirk. He saw it in the mirror every time he was about to get laid. He shook his head away from that thought. “I’ll just go to a bar or something. Just make sure you’re decent by morning,” he grumbled as he turned on the TV looking for something to get his mind off that conversation and the thoughts it invoked. 

 

Sure enough two days later Gabriel was back to full health, had warded the boys from detection, snapped the Impala back to perfect condition, and sent Dean out to ‘get dinner’. Sam had just locked the door behind his brother when he turned to see Gabriel standing directly in front of him. Much too close for comfort. That discomfort increased when Gabriel spoke. 

“So your brother seems to think that you’re in love with me,” Gabriel said placing a hand lightly on Sam’s chest, marveling at the muscles he could feel rippling beneath his fingers. He could feel Sam’s heart pick up to a furious pace. He wasn’t sure if he trusted Dean’s read on the situation. He needed to hear it from Sam. Sam tried to pull away, but Gabriel just pressed harder on his chest pinning him gently against the door. He wasn’t going to force anything on him except to talk to him. 

“Gabriel, let me go,” Sam said getting nervous. He couldn’t believe Dean would do this to him. Hell he couldn’t believe Dean even noticed. 

“If you can look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t love me then I’ll let you go,” Gabriel said firmly.

Sam looked Gabriel in the eyes determined to do just that, but once he caught the golden eyes with his own, he was lost, “I…I don’t…” 

That seemed to be all he could get out, but that was good enough for Gabriel. That was his confirmation that Dean was right. He stood on his tiptoes and pressed his lips against the hunters moving his hand from Sam’s chest and running it upwards until it curled behind his neck. When Gabriel deepened the kiss he smiled as he felt Sam’s strong arms wrap around his waist and crush them together. 

Gabriel pulled back enough to look Sam in they eye as he moved his hand to the hunter’s jaw. “I love you Sammy,” he said softly. 

Sam took a moment to look for any signs of deceit in Gabriel’s eyes before he smiled. “I love you Gabriel,” he said as he crashed his lips back into the archangel’s. 

When the broke apart again, both breathing heavily Sam asked, “Do you think I could…you know…see your wings again, now that they are healed and all?” 

Gabriel smiled softly at the hunter and manifested his wings. When Sam reached to touch one though Gabriel started and shifted them back away from the hunter. “Easy Samsquatch. Most sensitive part remember? Don’t start something if you don’t intend to finish it,” Gabriel said seductively as he ran a hand down Sam’s chest. 

Sam knew what Gabriel meant and smirked at him before shifting forward and burying his hand in the soft feathers of Gabriel’s uppermost wing.


End file.
